TAP construction cost less than expected

The construction cost of the Trans Adriatic pipeline (TAP) has recently been announced, and it is less than what was estimated.

Ian Bradshaw, Managing Director of the TAP consortium, stated: “Until now, we have not announced the exact figure for the cost of the TAP project due to the awarding of contracts. But now we can announce that the TAP pipeline will cost €4.5 billion.”

It was previously predicted that the cost would be approximately €6.2 billion.

TAP will transport natural gas from the Greek-Turkish border of Kipoi, through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic sea before arriving in Italy where it will connect to the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline project.

TAP is set to be approximately 878 km with an initial capacity of 10 billion m3/y of natural gas. This capacity could expand to 20 billion m3/yr.

Bradshaw noted that Europe will receive its first gas flow by 2020.

He concluded: “Approximately 100 km of pipeline length has been welded, 30 km has been back-filled and 6 km has been reinstated. Besides, line pipes continue to arrive in Kavala, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos. So far, over 60% of the 32 000 line pipes that are needed to build the 550 km Greek section have been delivered.”